


home is wherever i'm with you

by Blepbean



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Love Confessions, M/M, Past Opal/Bolin - Freeform, dumb bfs getting together i love that for them, idiots to lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:41:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27654254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blepbean/pseuds/Blepbean
Summary: Bolin's dropping in to Zaofu long with Mako, and it awakens something in him with Wei that he thought he would never have.There’s this moment and it isn’t like on the screens where everything stops and slows, time is still going and Bolin’s eyes go over Wei’s deep green eyes, transforming into ivy green in the darkness.The crook of his shoulder. His messy hair. The muscles in his biceps, Bolin swears that a sculpture made them. This man is such a work of art, transforming into soft marble under the moon.
Relationships: Bolin/Wei (Avatar)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 57





	home is wherever i'm with you

**Author's Note:**

> WEILIN NATION LETS RISE
> 
> kudos, comments and feedback is appreciated

It’s still rather awkward to be in the same place as Opal, they were happy together. But it was like two pieces not quiet clicking together, too different, too many shifts between them. Slowly the distance grew too large and Opal gave up, Bolin thinks he gave up a while ago too. They’re still on good terms, however the once wide smile Bolin had when Opal walks into the room is replaced with a soft, sad smile, usually she responds with a quick wave.

Bolin sighs. He’s tagging along Mako to check up on Zaofu, apparently there’s been trouble with the trading paths, scavengers stealing from the satomobile. They’re mobilising more than half of the metal benders to escort and scout ahead, him, Opal and Mako are stuck here protecting a defenseless Zaofu.

It’s not one of the best ideas, but he doesn’t have the stomach to argue with Suyin. He walks around Zaofu, it’s a city of shining metal and bubbling life. Bolin steps into the courtyard, he can feel the earth beneath him, every vibration and every step, the curdling of lava and how it moves. It’s all there, just underneath him, he can call it if he needs to.

He catches a glimpse of Wei just under a tree, the wind begins to pick up. A stupid smile creeps up onto Bolin as he picks up a pebble and flicks it towards Wei.

“Ow!” He stands up, turning around. In the sunlight Bolin watches his eyes turn something similar to a vast forest, sprawling with ancient leaves that drink in the sunlight. His hair is a bit unkempt and messy, but the black shine is still there with the one loose strand sticking out. He transforms into his usual self, the corner of his mouth curling up, sharp jawline, miles of brown skin.

If Bolin could, he could trace his jawline and let his thumb linger for just a bit longer. But he can’t, so instead he just awkwardly waves.

“Shouldn’t you be guarding!” Wei says, blocking the harsh sunlight with his hand.

“Shouldn’t _ you  _ be guarding!” Bolin retorts.

They fall into a soft laughter that fills the empty air, Wei’s laughter is airy but addictive, light but it’s enough for Bolin to look at him,  _ really  _ look at how dimples start to appear against his cheek. When the laughter dwindles and it’s just two of them standing there. There’s ten steps between them, Bolin counted. When he looks up at Wei he’s stretching his arms and playing with the meteorite on the stands, turning something solid into liquid. 

He watches the black liquid shine in the sunlight, but he’s more focused on Wei’s concentrated, tongue out, eyes furrowing. Bolin couldn’t metalbend, he tried to, really. It was years after he tried, and didn't have the talent. It’s enough for him to lavabend, he thinks. To curl the molten rock and bend it to his will.

—

“So…” Opal looks up from the book she’s reading, they’re waiting for Mako to come out of the debriefing. In the late afternoon sunlight comes through the windows and lights everything up, Bolin leans on a wall and waits for the awkwardness to settle.

But it doesn’t.

“What’s up with you and Wei?” She continues, her tone teasing, Bolin looks at his shoes like it's the most interesting thing to ever exist.

“What do you mean? I-I don’t know what you’re talking about, we’re just simply friends. Just good,  _ bro- _ friends.”

Mako bursts out of the door with a look on his face. Concern, worry,  _ exhaustion _ , it could be either of those three. The three of them share a look, Bolin’s glad to have this distraction. He shoves the thought of olive green eyes and cheeky smiles six deep into the ground and covers it up. No time for that.

—

Now that he’s thinking about it, Bolin should’ve thought about what he was gonna do, instead of running into danger head on and bathing the whole ground with lava. He almost burned himself, he remembers his muscles aching and vision going blurry before he collapsed to the ground.

And now he’s here, on a bed with the blanket pulled to his chest. In the all white room with a dying flower in a white vase next to him and minimalist furniture and weird, abstract paintings that hang from the wall. It’s late into the night, silver moonlight cascades into the room and lights everything in a daze of silver and blue.

He can’t sleep, thoughts are building up again. Mako came a while ago, along with Wu at his side. Wu wouldn’t stop pestering him, telling him how dumb he is while Mako just sighs and smiled at Wu. They were shoved out of the room a few minutes later, with Opal coming by to give him tea. They both smiled at each other.

But besides that he’s been all alone, he can’t sleep and there’s a dull headache that’s bothering him. He thinks; he might spend the night restless and awake, twisting and turning. He thinks; he misses someone’s body close to him, the warmth and miles of skin. He thinks; he might not have that for a while.

Because it was like that, when he brought flowers for Korra when he was a teenager. Bolin remembered how everything fell apart when he saw Mako kiss her. Then there was Eska. Then there was Opal. After that? Nothing, after a few years. He’s still on good terms with all three of them.

A thought springs up on him when he looks at the ceiling, he used to have those glow-in-the dark stars in his childhood bedroom. Back then he wished for someone to crawl into his bed and to count the stars with him, bridge the gap between their bodies and share the warmth. Bolin pictured it back then, all dopey smiles with their cheeks hurting.

He still has that hope, he’s brave for putting his heart out into the world full of teeth and barbed wire.

The door opening pulls him out of his thoughts,he quickly sits up but sees that it’s Wei.

“Hey,” Wei says.

“Hi?” Bolin replies.

In the sunlight, Wei looks alive and ablaze. But brown skin seeping with moonlight brings something out of him, like something  _ soft _ , hidden, brought out just for Bolin to see. The corner of his lips doesn’t have that curl, and he doesn’t have his hands into his pockets. However, the way he brings the chair to sit next to Bolin is much more gentler, not rushed. 

“Did I do something?” Bolin says, “like I’m sorry that I snuck out of my room even though I was like  _ totally  _ supposed to rest but I just couldn’t resist walking over to the kitchen I mean—”

“ _ Bolin _ ,” he says with such fondness that Bolin forgets how to breathe, “no, not it’s not that. I guess, I just wanted to see you.”

“Me?”   
  


“Yeah, duh,” Wei quietly chuckles, “I just wanted to see if you’re alright. I couldn’t drop in because I was busy and all but… yeah.”

“How we’re things with the operation and Zaofu? Felt like it would collapse without me?”

“Oh you wish,” Wei flashes his cheeky smile, there it is, “everything is sorta back to normal, I think. I don’t know, can’t wrap my head around the whole thing. That’s Wing’s job.”

A comfortable silence stretches between them, it’s too special for either of them to break. They speak in body language, with Wei’s feet shifting on the ground and Bolin twiddling his fingers..

“So what’s up with  _ you _ ,” Bolin continues after a minute, “heard that your power disc game is getting attraction back at Republic city.”

“Yeah, it’s pretty cool actually,” Wei hums, it looks like he wants to say something else, that these conversations are just something to fill in the inbetweens, “maybe I could teach you metalbending properly.”

“And I can teach you lavabending.”   
  
“Yeah…”

More silences, no longer comfortable, they’re drowning in unsaid words.

“Bolin?” He shifts closer to him.

“What’s up?”

There’s this moment and it isn’t like on the screens where everything stops and slows, time is still going and Bolin’s eyes go over Wei’s deep green eyes, transforming into ivy green in the darkness.The crook of his shoulder. His messy hair. The muscles in his biceps, Bolin swears that a sculpture made them. This man is such a work of art, transforming into soft marble under the moon.

“I should… I should leave, actually,” Wei says, looking down on the floor. Bolin reaches out, his hand resting on Wei’s. It’s like he’s speaking to him through touch alone, telling him to stay, don’t leave. They look at each other, neither of them not knowing how to take the step. It’s awkward, stepping into new territory. Bolin’s trying to comprehend  _ this _ , Wei’s eyes drifting to his lips, the flush on his cheeks, there’s a bit of reluctance there too.

They’re trying to meet in the middle, but Bolin is stubborn so he bridges the fifteen inch distance between them and feels his lips between Wei’s. It’s clumsy and weird, with the both of them not used to kissing guys. Not used to the sharp jawline or calloused hands tugging Wei closer. It’s like two bodies coming close, getting used to soft lips as the buzz of confusion clearing up from both of their heads.

His thoughts are catching up when they pull apart, lips a little bruised, cheeks little red. Bolin’s never done this. Did it go well? What did Wei think of it? Was the subtle movements, the shifts, the way he looked at Bolin, was that an indication to kiss him or not? 

“How long?” Wei says, breaking the silence.

“What do you mean?”

“How long did you like me? Was it after you and Opal broke up? Because I don’t wanna be some weird, rebound—”

“Spirits, no,” Bolin shakes his head, smiling as he finds Wei’s hands, “you’re not like  _ her _ , but she’s not like  _ you _ . It was probably a few months ago when I realised, but during when Opal and I dated… I loved her so much.”

“How about me?”

“ _ Baby _ ,” Bolin whispers, letting it out into the open before he can reel the words back in, “I’ve liked you for so long. I think it’s too early to call it love but… I think I want to be with you.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I mean I  _ think  _ so. No, no, not  _ think  _ so I  _ want  _ to—”

He’s interrupted by Wei kissing him again and it’s all stumbling lips and laughter in the midnight. Bolin’s heart is so flutters and is full of warmth, and he starts think of silly fantasies, perhaps stupid earthbending duels that ends in the air filling up with laughter. He thinks; that the crook of Wei’s shoulder is what he could call a second home.

Bolin’s content with what this  _ is _ , even though they don’t have to label anything.


End file.
